Berberis Vulgaris

Barberry. (Britain.) N. O. Berberidaceae. Tincture of the bark of the root.

Clinical

Biliary colic. Bilious attack. Bladder affections. Calculus. Duodenum, catarrh of. Dysmenorrhoea. Fevers. Fistula. Gall-stones. Gravel, Herpes. Irritation. Jaundice. Joint affecHofis. Knee pain in. Leucorrhoea. Liver disorder. Lumbago. Ophthalmia. Oxaluria. Renal colic. Polypus. Rheumatism. Sacrum pain in. Side pain. Spermatic cords, neuralgia of. Spleen, affections of. Tumours. I7r/>i€, disorders of. .Vaginismus.

Characteristics

The usual preparations of Berberis are made from the root bark. Berberis mahonia has a great local repute in the popular treatment of the low fever (typhoid) of the Rocky mountains, an infusion of the fresh plant being used. Chills and fever are among the prominent effects of Berb. vulg. : " Coldness of body with hot face, commencing 11 a.m. ; burning heat in afternoon, < during night." Ague with enlargement of spleen, or spleen pains. Affections of liver and kidneys are strongly marked ; but Berb. is a medicine of wide range. Movement < its complaints. Stitches are frequent, and a "bubbling sensation " or " bubbling stitches$ " are characteristic. A bubbling feeling as if water were coming up through the skin. Tearing, burning pains or bubbling sensation in joints. The mental condition is one of indifference, apathy. Melancholy, with inclination to weep. There is aversion to darkness, terrifying apparitions in the twilight. In the head there is vertigo and heaviness. Darting and shooting pains often changing their localities ; < movement, > open air. Heat of head after dinner or in afternoon. Puffy feeling in head ; as if it were becoming larger. Scalp tense. The face is pale, with din grey tinge, sunken cheeks, deep-set eyes, surrounded with bluish and blackish grey border. Mouth dry and sticky ; painful white blisters on tip of tongue. The pit of the stomach is puffed up. Sticking pain in region of liver and gallbladder shooting up to left shoulder, < by pressure. Gall-stone colic, followed by jaundice. Gnawing pain in right hypochondrium, shooting up to lt scapula. Pains shoot down from tenth rib to navel. Burning in either inguinal region (espedaUy right). Berberis produces both constipation (sheep-dung stools) and diarrhoea, and a number of symptoms about the anus. Haemorrhoids, with itching or burning, particularly after stool, which frequently is hard and covered BERBERIS VULGARIS 281 with blood. Fistula in ano with painful pressure in perinaeum, extending deep into pelvis (left side). The urinary organs are markedly affected. The emission of urine is frequently accompanied by pains in thighs and loins. Lancinating, or tearing, bubbling pains in region of kidneys ; < stooping and rising again, sitting or lying ; > standing. Violent sticking pains in bladder, extending from kidneys into urethra, with urging to urinate. Many cases of (especially right) renal colic have been cured by it. Frequent urging to urinate. Urine dark yellow, red, becoming turbid, copious ; mucous sediment, or transparent, jelly-like or reddish, bran-like sediment Urine slimy when passed, depositing copious loamy yellowish sediment. Greenish urine depositing mucus. During nation burning in urethra, or bladder, pressure in bladder, cutting, burning, or stitches in urethra. Dragging or lancinating pains in spermatic cord, extending into testes. Cold feeling in prepuce, glans, testes, and scrotum. In the female a marked symptom is absence of pleasurable sensation during coition. Uterine symptoms and leucorrhoea associated with painful urinary sjonptoms. Dysmenorrhoea, pains radiating in all directions down thighs, &c. Vagina intensely painful ; reddened. Violent pain in back, with menses which are too scanty. . It is a leading remedy in lumbago ; pains extend from back, round body, down leg ; with red sediment in urine. Numbness, stress, and lameness in kidney region. Many old troubles in the back. Sufferings < by fatigue. Aching in small of back ; < sitting ; or lying ; in the morning on awakening. Neuralgia under finger-nails. B. Simmons has verified a symptom of Berb. which may be regarded as characteristic. A gentleman of 52 complained of rheumatic pains in his legs and loss of walking power. After he had walked a short distance he was compelled to stop from a feeling of intense weariness heaviness lameness and stiffness of the legs which felt sore as if bruised. A single dose effected a complete cure, improvement commencing on the fourth day. Stuart Close (H. P. xix. 318) records the cure with Berb. 200 of a woman who had cutting, burning pains in the balls of the feet on stepping. On standing with most of the weight on the heels she had no pain. On rising in morning sensation in soles as if stepping on needles. There is great weakness, like fainting, after a walk, with perspiration and heat on the upper part of the body ; cold, pale, sunken face and oppression of breathing. Great relaxation, with disinclination to do anything. On the indication " tumours and sessile growths,'' Ozanam cored a case of polypus of vocal cords, red, with a sessile base. Thuja had failed. Berb. 200 was given at first with good effect. the attenuation being gradually reduced anth increasingly good effect until the growth disappeared entirely under. the i x. Guernsey admirably sums up the remedy as follows : " Affects particularly the lumbar region ; kidneys ; uterus. The patient is sometimes unable to tell the exact locality, but the pain is somewhere in the back and shoots up the back ; or into the spermatic cord, or testes, bladder, buttocks, or legs. The pain may shoot up or down, or both ways. Pi may be felt all >3ver the body, emanating from the back ; the pains are of a sticking, pricking, lancinating, or jerking character. flying about now here and now there. There is often a bubbling sensation in the region of the kidneys; this sensation may occur elsewhere, but it is usually found here/' Great sleepiness during day and after dinner. After riding much, great sense of weakness in kidney region. Suited to: Bilious diathesis. Cases where renal or vesical symptoms are prominent

Relations p. 282

Compare : Alo., Ant. t, Arsen., Calc, Calc. ph. (fistula in ano ; chest symptoms, especially after surgical operation) ; Canth., Carb. v., Cham., Chi., Lye, Nat. m., Nit. ac, Nux v., Pul., Rheum. In burning and pricking pains in anus : Lye, Thuj. In duodenal catarrh : Chi., Lye, Hydrast., Pod., Ric. com., Merc. In aversion to darkness : Stram., Am. m., Calc, Carb. an., Stro., Val. In pains in feet on stepping : Cycl. Botanical relations : Podo., Caulo., Berb. aq. Antidoted by : Camph., Bell. Antidote to : Aco. An occasional dose of Lyc. helped action of Berb. Follows well : Bry., Kdi bi., Rhus, Sul.

Mind p. 282

Careless, calm, apathetic humour. — Ill*humour, disgust to life. — Melancholy, inclination to weep, with dislike to conversation. — Anxiety, great fear and disposition to take fright*-In the twilit, all objects seem larger than they really are. — Intellectual labours are performed with difficulty and prove fatiguing, esp. in the morning.

Head p. 282

Vertigo, with sensation as in fainting, and great weakness. — Vertigo on stooping and on making use of the arms. — Feeling of intoxication and giddiness. — Confusion and heaviness of the head, often with pressure, dejection, ill-humour and shiverings, commencing in the morning, after waking. — Head confused, as before a coryza. — Sensation, as if the size of the head were increased. — Sensation of swelling in the head. — Aching, tensive pains in the forehead, in the temples, and in the eyes. — Cephalalgia in the forehead and in the temples, as if from pressure from the inside outwards. — Headache < by movement, > in open air. — Acute, shooting pains in the forehead and in the temples. — Darting and shooting pains in the head after changing the locality. — Teguments of the head as if they were stretched and swollen. — Head feels full and heavy, as if a cap were pulled hard down on head. — Heat in the head after dinner (or in afternoon) and in the morning. — Sweat after exertion, on stooping, and on standing for any time. — Small red spots in the forehead and in the cheeks. — Itching or gnawing shootings in the teguments of the head and of the face. — Pustules in the teguments of the head and in the face.

Eyes p. 282

Eyes sunk, with a blue or dirty grey circle. — Aching and sensation of burning in the eyes. — Painful sensibility of the eyes on reading by candle-light. — Sensation of stiffness, with pressure in the eyes. — Shootings in the eyes, originating in other parts (for instance, the forehead), and extending towards the eyes, and thence to the forehead. — Burning and dryness in the eyes, which are dull — Dryness of, or biting-burning, or itching sensation in the eyes. — Itching in the canthi, eyebrows, and lids. — Redness of the conjunctiva, with confused sight, as if there were a veil before the eyes, in the morning after rising. — Ophthalmia, with the characteristic flying pains from the back ; sensation as if sand were between lids and eyes. — Bubbling in eyes. — Indistinct at, better near than at a distance.~Sensibility of the eyes to the brightness of the sun. — Sharp pains in the ball of the eye, and in the eyelids. — Heaviness in the eyelids during motion. — Burning or gnawing pains in the eyelids.— Convulsive movement of the eyelids when reading by candle-light.

Ears p. 283

Itching, sometimes gnawing, sometimes burning, sometimes shooting, sometimes with small pustules in the exterior parts of the ears. — Small tumour, size of hazel-nut, under and behind ear, apparently enlarged and.— Acute and shooting pains in the interior of the ear and in other parts— Stitches in the ear. — Sensation of coldness in ; bubbling in.

Nose p. 283

Dryness in the nose. — Coryza, with secretion, at first of yellowish serum, afterwards of purulent, whitish, yellowish, or greenish mucus, esp. in the morning. — Crawling or gnawing pains in the nostrils.

Face p. 283

Heat, and bluish colour of the interior of the lower lip. — Dryness of the lips, and exfoliation of the epidermis, with a flat, brownish crust upon the edges. — Sensation of burning on the exterior of the lips. — Sensation of tingling on the lips. — Small pustules in the lips. — Acute aching or acute shooting pains in the cheek-bone and in the jaw.---Great paleness of face, dirty grey complexion, with hollow cheeks and sunk eyes, surrounded by a bluish or dark grey circle.— Aspect, one of great and prolonged dejection. — Feeling as if cold drops spurted into face on going into open air.

Teeth p. 283

Acute drawing pains and shootings in the teeth, with a sensation as if the teeth were set on edge, or too long or too large ; also with great sensibility of the teeth to the fresh air, esp. in the afternoon and at ■night — Ulcer in the gums. — Small white painless nodes in the gums. — Dirty red colour of the edges of the gums.— Bleeding of the gums.

Mouth p. 283

Painful sensibility of the tongue to the touch and to motion. — Stiffness and sensation of swelling at the end of the tongue. — Painful, whitish vesicles at the end of the tongue. — Sensation of dryness, clammy taste in the mouth, more disagreeable in the morning after rising, with harshness of the mucous membranes, and white tongue. — Diminution of the secretion of saliva, or viscid, frothy saliva. Throat. — Inflammation of the tonsils and pharynx, with swelling and fiery redness, and a sensation as if a lump were lodged in the side of the throat ; expectoration of a quantity of thick, yellow, jelly-like mucus.— White, sticky tongue, viscid saliva resembling soap-suds. — Tonsillitis, with sensation of something rough there ; stiff-neck ; feeling of a plug in the throat

Appetite p. 283

Taste bitter.— Acid, bitter taste, esp. after a meal.— Thirst and dryness of the mouth. — Burning and acrid taste in the mouth and in the throat, as if from pyrosis. — Excessive appetite, almost like bulimy,— Want of appetite, with bitter, bilious taste.— Food appears insipid.

Stomach p. 283

Nausea before breakfast, better after. — Nausea and inclination to vomit before dinner. — Risings alternately with yawning. — Bilious risings. — Shiverings in the epigastrium. — Aching, with shooting pains in the epigastrium. — Burning, shooting pains in the stomach, sometimes extending to the pharynx. — Sticking pain in gastric region ; whirling pain in.

Abdomen p. 283

Cramp-like pains under the navel. — Shooting, aching joins in the hepatic region, increased by pressure. — Pressure in the region of the liver. — Burning under the skin, in the l. side of the abdomen. — Bubbling otemally. — Violent burning, under the skin ; in l. side of abdomen. — Drawing, acute, and shooting pains in the region of the l. hypochondrium. — Sensation of tension in the groins, as if hernia were about to protrude, esp. when walking or standing. — Aching pains in the region of the inguinal glands, which are painful on being touched, as if they were going to swell. — Pain, with throbbing shootings in the groins, esp. when walking and standing, extending to the testes, the thighs, and the loins. — Varicose veins in the groins.

Stool and Anus p. 284

Hard stools like sheep dung ; or soft, easy stools, with burning in anus.

Urinary Organs p. 284

Bubbling sensation in region of kidneys. — Lancinating or tearing pulsative pain in the region of the kidneys; worse when stooping and rising again, sitting or lying; better when standing. — Violent sticking pains in the bladder, extending from the kidneys into the urethra, with urging to urinate. — Frequently recurring, crampy, contractive pain, or aching pain, in the bladder, when the bladder is full or empty. — Incisive pains in the urethra, even when not in the act of making water. — Smarting pain in the urethra, with sensation of excoriation, even during the emission of semen in coition. — Motion excites and aggravates the pains in the urethra. — Burning pains in the urethra when making water, and afterwards, but esp. at other times. — Stitches and burning in the urethra. — Shooting pains in the urethra, extending to the bladder. — Aching pains in the region cf the bladder, even when it is empty, and after making water. — Contractive, drawing, acute, incisive, and cramp-like pains in the bladder. — Shooting, violent pains in the loins, extending to the bladder. — Sensation of burning in the bladder. — Pressure on making water. — Urgent inclination to make water, esp. in the morning after rising. — Increased secretion of urine, which is as clear as water. — Urine pale yellowish, with slimy, gelatinous, mealy sediment, white, greyish white, or reddish. — Urine thick, yellowish, like whey, or clay-coloured water. — Urine of a deep yellow, with abundant sediment. — Urine dark yellow, red, becoming turbid, copious; mucous sediment, or transparent, jelly-like reddish, bran-like sediment (which is easily crushed and dissolved between the fingers). — Greenish urine, depositing mucus. — Urine reddish, as if inflamed, with abundant sediment. — Urine reddish, sanguineous, with slimy, mealy, and abundant sediment, of a bright red colour. — The emission of urine is often accompanied by pains in the thighs and in the loins.

Male Sexual Organs p. 284

Burning, smarting pains in the glans. — Sensation of cold in the glans and In the prepuce, sometimes with sensation of torpor. — Cold feeling in the prepuce and scrotum. — Sensation of weakness and insensibility in the external genital parts. — The penis seems to be shrivelled and retracted. — Burning pain in penis. — Aching, drawing, contractive pains in the testes and in the spermatic cords, with contraction of the scrotum, which appears cold and shrivelled. — Pains, as from excoriation in the scrotum. — Movement excites or aggravates the majority of the symptoms in the genital parts. — Smarting, burning, shooting, drawing, or squeezing pains in the spermatic cords, extending to the testes. — Swelling of the spermatic cord, with pains verging towards the testes. — Sensation of great weakness of the genital parts after coition. — Diminution of sexual desire. — Premature emission in coition.

Female Sexual Organs p. 284

Tardy enjoyment in women, during coition, and often accompanied with incisive or shooting pains. — Sensation of burning and excoriation in the vagina, extending to the labia. — Pale catamenia, composed of serous blood. — Menses, consisting of grey mucus or brown Uood.— Oppressed menstruation. — During the catamenia, pains in the genital parts and in the loins, or violent pains in the head, with sensation of fainting. — Catamenia insufficient, with acute drawing pains in the whole body, painful inflation of the abdomen, pain in the loins, shootings in the chest, dejected aspect, with violent pains in the head ; or with ill-humour, disgust of life, direction, smarting pains in the vagina, sensation of burning and excoriation in the anus, and pains in the arms, as far as the shoulders and the nape of the neck.

Respiratory Organs p. 285

(Sessile polypus of vocal cord.) — Hoarseness, with soreness or inflammation of the glands of the neck.

Chest p. 285

Sensation of excoriation in the chest. — Oppression of the chest, esp. at night, with violent flowing of the coryza. — Shooting pains in the centre of the chest, increased deep breathing, with dry, short cough. — Painful shootings in the l. side of the chest.

Heart p. 285

Squeezing, with shootings, in the region of the heart. — Palpitation of the heart.

Neck and Back p. 285

Drawing, acute rheumatic pains in the nape of the neck. — Pustules in the nape of the neck, in groups, esp. near the scalp. — Shooting pains between the shoulder-blades, increased by breathing. — Acute drawing pains in the dorsal spine. — Bubbling sensation in back. — Stitches in the spine. — Pustules in the back. — Sensation of tension, of stiffness, and of torpor in the loins» as if they were swollen or benumbed. — Aching, tensive, acute, drawing, or shooting pains in the loins. — Sensation of tensive pressure in the loins, often with heaviness, heat, or torpor of these parts, esp. in the morning on waking, aggravated by sitting or lying, sometimes diminished by evacuations, or by the emission of wind. — Pain in the small of the back ; worse when sitting and lying, in the morning when awaking (during menstruation).

Upper Limbs p. 285

Sensation of lassitude, of paralysis, and of bruising in the arms, esp. during motion, provoked or aggravated by pressure. — Acute pains in the arms, — Pains in the shoulder, as of subcutaneous ulceration. — Marbled spots on the arms, with burning itching. — Cramp-like pains in the forearm. — Tractive, acute pains in the forearm and in the bones, extending to the hand and the joints of the fingers, with heaviness and weakness of the arm. — Burning or smarting pains in the forearm, aggravated by friction or scratching, and sometimes followed by a red spot.*— Small itching spots, like petechias, on the forearm and on the back of the hand near the wrist. — Lymphatic swelling of the forearm, with spots like petechiae and burning pains in the

Skin p. 285

Drawing, acute pains in the joints of the hand and of the fingers. — Aching, digging, violent pains in the back of the hand, with sensation of heaviness. — Urticarial spot on the back of the hand. — Small warts in the fleshy part of the hand, under the thumb. — Sensation in the extremity of the finger, as if caused by subcutaneous ulceration. — Flat wart on the finger. — Redness of the hands, with itching, as if from chilblains. — Neuralgic pain under nails ; tender to touch. Lower Limbs. — Sensation of weariness and pain, as of fatigue, in case of sub-acute cystitis, with irregular paroxysms of crampy pains in the bladder ; also a case of phlegmasia alba dolens (left) ; Petroz having cured another. mlatioiiB.— Bismuth is antidoted by: Calc, Caps., Coffee, Nux. Is isomorphic with: Ant. c, Ars., Phos. Similar to: Ant. c. (vomiting, white tongue, gastritis) ; Ars. (anxiety, gastritis, cancer, gangrene, vomiting) ; Bell, (gastralgia, cancer, flatus in ridges) ; Bry. (toothache, gastritis); Calc, Caps., Chi., Ign., Kali c, Kre., Lach. (sore throat, deep, ulcers ; Lye, Merc, Nux (gastralgia, urging to stool) ; Phos. (vomiting : Bism. vomits immediately ; Pho. vomits water as soon as it becomes warm in stomach) ; Plumb, (abdomen in ridges, gastralgia ; > bending backward ; heart disease) ; Puls., Rhus (> by motion) ; Sep., Sil., Staph. Useful after: Euonymus (headache). Gausatioii. — Abdominal operations.

Mind p. 288

Discontented, morose, and complaining humour. — Inconstancy. — Aversion to solitude. — Delirium. — Delirium tremens. — Loss of consciousness. — Moral apathy and insensibility. 2, 3. Head and Eyes. — Giddiness in the morning. — Vertigo, as if the brain were turning in a circle. — Stupor, with mist before the eyes. — Headache, chiefly in the sinciput, and extending even to the eyes. — Cutting pain in brain, beginning above r. orbit, extending to occiput. — Pressive heaviness on the head, esp. on the forehead, above the root of the nose and in the temples. — Constant digging and piercing in the forehead, which extends to the eyes and point of the nose. — Headache attended by, or alternating with, gastralgia. Burning contraction in the head, esp. in the forehead and in the eyes. — Aching of the eyeballs. — Secretion of humour in the comer of the eyes.

Nose p. 288

Nose-bleed, dark blood.

Face p. 288

Earth-coloured, sickly, and wan (with distorted features), with livid circle round the eyes. — Aching pain in the cheek-bones; > running about and holding cold water in the mouth. — Face pale and cold. 7, 8. Teeth and Mouth. — Pressive, tractive odontalgia.— Toothache > taking cold water into the mouth, < when the water becomes warm. — Gums swollen with pain like excoriation. — Painful sensibility of the interior of the mouth, as if from excoriation. — Constant secretion of a brownish, thick saliva, of a metallic taste. — In the morning, taste of blood in the mouth, with spitting of sanguineous mucus. — In the evening, tongue white and loaded (without heat or thirst). — In the evening, great thirst, with preference for cold drinks.

Throat p. 288

Inflammation of the whole throat — Burning pain in the throat, sometimes insupportable. — Phagedenic ulceration of uvula, with burning and tearing ; difficult swallowing of fluids, which return through nose. II, 12. Stomach and Abdomen. — Nausea after every meal. — > By cold water (drink). — Water is vomited as soon as it reaches the stomach. — Vomiting, convulsive gagging and inexpressible pain in stomach (after operations on abdomen). — Nausea, with inclination to vomit, esp. after having eaten. — Violent risings of a putrid smell. — Strong inclination to vomit, with violent retching. — Cancer of stomach. — Vomiting of brownish matter. — Vomiting (of bile) with oppressive anxiety, small pulse, vertigo and prostration.— Vomiting and diarrhoea.— Vomiting of all fluids (children). — Cramp-like and pressive pains in the stomach, esp. after having eaten. — Pressure like a load in the stomach, esp. after a meal. — Burning in the stomach. — (Inflammation of the stomach.)-'Borborygiiii and rumbling in the abdomen.~-Colic with pinching, pressure, and an inclination to go to stool. — Great inflation of the abdomen. — Abdomen bloated in ridges ; rumbling of wind along colon, passes rarely, but then relieves.— Painful sensibility of the abdomen to the touch.

Stool and Anus p. 289

In the evening, ineffectual efforts to go to stool. —Aqueous diarrhoea of a putrid smell. — Stools : cadaverous smell. — Cholera ; cholerine ; fluids vomited as soon as taken.

Urinary Organs p. 289

Frequent and copious emission of aqueous urine— Emission of urine entirely suppressed.

Male Sexual Organs p. 289

Aching pains in the testes. — Nocturnal pollutions without dreams. — Pressing, aching in the (r.) testicle.

Chest p. 289

Cough, day and night, with copious expectoration. — Aching in r. half of chest, near sternum, in a small spot. — Pressure and squeezing across the chest, in the region of the diaphragm. — Hot, burning constriction of the chest, with difficulty of respiration and of speech. — Burning and piercing in the chest and in the back.

Heart p. 289

Beating of the heart. ZL. Limbs. — Pressive and drawing pain, with paralytic weakness in the forearms and in the bones of the wrist. — Trembling of the hands after eating. —Tearing in r. index finger, also in tips and joints of fingers. — Acute drawing pains under the nails of the fingers. — Excessive dryness of the palms of the hands and of the soles of the feet. — Cramp-like contraction of the hands and of the feet — Sharp and pressive pains in the bones of the foot — Itching and gnawing in the tibia and in the back of the foot, increased by scratching. — Tearing in malleolus of r. foot., in paroxysms, terminating in tendo-Achillis. — Ttu and feet bluish.

Generalities p. 289

Sensation of heaviness in the inner parts. — Screwing pains.— Pressing pains (eyes, head, abdomen, testicles). — Pressing-tearing (bones of the hands and of the feet). — Cramp-like contractions in all the modes.— Aching pains, or aching and pulling pains together.

Skin p. 289

Ulcers, gangrenous bluish. — Dry gangrene ; parchment-like, — Borning smarting in the skin.

Sleep p. 289

Languor and weakness. — Frequent waking, as if in a fright. —Night sleep disturbed by lascivious dreams, with or without emissions. — Great sleepiness in the morning after rising. — Awaking from sleep with a start, and in a fright — Voluptuous dreams. — Lassitude on awaking in the night

Fever p. 289

Coldness of the whole body, externally. — Great heat — Flushes of heat, esp. on head and chest. — Intermittent, small pulse.